Mobile application security refers to the practices and measures taken to detect and mitigate risks associated with mobile applications at every stage of the software development process.

This concern involves strategies and methods to reduce the risk of cybercriminals obtaining confidential information from users. We want to ensure that users' personal data, such as card numbers, passwords, and other confidential information, are safe and protected from unauthorized access or theft by cybercriminals.

Why is mobile application security important?

Mobile application security testing helps businesses identify and address vulnerabilities before the applications are released in online stores. Thus, mobile application security becomes a central piece in cybersecurity defense.

A comprehensive assessment of mobile applications is done by combining manual and automated security testing.

People are increasingly relying on mobile applications for a wide range of activities, such as managing finances, shopping, ordering their favorite food, etc.

According to statistics, by the first half of 2022, there were over 5.4 million applications available in iOS and Android app stores. Additionally, 70% of online traffic is generated by mobile applications, which dominate digital media consumption.

As the mobile ecosystem evolves, new vulnerabilities emerge. Mobile applications have become an attractive target for cybercriminals who attempt to commit fraud, steal accounts, identities, access intellectual property, conduct surveillance, or spread malware.

Sensitive data, such as a user's full identity, password, email address, phone number, bank account number, etc., is known as Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Cybercriminals can steal this information and cause serious harm to users and businesses.

Here are the six steps you can follow to secure your mobile application against cyberattacks:

1. Enhanced user authentication: Implement more advanced authentication methods, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), to ensure stronger identity verification for users.

2. Strong encryption: Encryption is essential for data security as it ensures that data cannot be accessed by unauthorized individuals. Make sure to implement strong encryption within your application, converting data into an unusable format for cyber attackers.

3. Supply chain security: Third-party components of your application can directly influence its security. Ensure that your development team follows strict protocols when selecting third-party libraries and frameworks, avoiding the use of components that are not open-source.

4. Setting idle times: For applications that store sensitive data, such as banking apps, it is important to manage sessions effectively. Configure session timeouts to 15-20 minutes for high-risk applications and one hour for those with a lower level of security. Use industry-standard technologies, such as terminating sessions when a new user logs in and providing security tokens.

5. Shift in testing strategy: Moving to a continuous testing approach means that developers will constantly perform tests rather than having fixed testing periods. Use both automated and manual tests to constantly search for vulnerabilities that could expose users of your application to cyberattacks.

6. Application shielding: Protecting your application is crucial to prevent hacking and other vulnerabilities. This involves isolating user data from the application's code. A popular approach in this regard is Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP), which monitors the internal state of the application, inputs, and outputs to identify any security issues.

In a world where mobile applications are becoming increasingly ubiquitous and essential in our lives, investing in their security cannot be neglected. By properly addressing mobile application security, we can create a safer digital environment and protect both users and businesses from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.